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  • September 2025

    • September 2025

    Issue Description: The September issue of Firehouse includes feature articles on community risk reduction technologies, heavy rescue apparatus design and operational matters of personnel and records-management.

    Cover Description: While members of the Fall River, MA, Fire Department were en route in their response to a box alarm, dispatch received calls that reported a fire. On arrival at an assisted-living facility, firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming out of the main entrance. Several residents were hanging out of windows. At least 12 residents were rescued over ground ladders. About 50 firefighters responded, many of whom were off-duty. Fire damage was contained to one wing of the three-story facility, but there was smoke damage throughout the building. Ten residents were killed, about 30 residents were transported to the hospital, and five firefighters suffered minor injuries. Photo by Kenneth Leger

    Dedication: Three U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty— Fire Police Capt. Ed Margavich, Capt. Christopher Brown and Firefighter/Sawyer Ruben Romero. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters.

    More content from September 2025

    volunteer fire department officer preparation Justin Bailey
    Justin Bailey explains ways that volunteer fire departments can make sure that future officers don't feel as though they weren't prepared to take on their new responsibilities...
    Sept. 16, 2025
    Image courtesy of NFPA
    NFPA’s Craig 1300 Community Risk Assessment Dashboard integrates local incident data to highlight risks. Custom maps, charts and graphs make data insights clear for stakeholders.
    Will Broscious and Jason Moore suggest numerous CRR technologies that fire departments can use to supplement their in-house community risk reduction resources.
    Sept. 15, 2025
    Image courtesy of Vector Solutions
    Customer feedback is a valuable tool for developers of personnel and records-management software. Vector Solutions used feedback and the data that it gleaned from historical use of its platform to develop a new Deployment module that’s more intuitive than the module that preceded it.
    Fire department administrators who are frustrated by their lack of time to address operational matters will find today’s personnel and records-management software to be valuable...
    Sept. 12, 2025
    Photo by Jake Hoffman
    It behooves fire departments to request joint training with towing companies, to include the latter demonstrating its capabilities. In this training evolution, the rotator operator demonstrates how he could lift the heavy vehicle and simultaneously relocate the car from beneath the load.
    Jake Hoffman's tips for fire departments for working with towing companies on the rescue scene helps to remove hindrances that would complicate or delay victim removal.
    Sept. 11, 2025
    Photos by Robert “RJ” James
    Compared with years past, the affordability of forcible entry props means that many departments have them in their stations. The negative side of that is members becoming too accustomed to their department’s prop, almost to the point where it inhibits firefighters’ ability to deal with real-world doors.
    Robert "RJ" James provides warnings to fire departments that use props to train on forcible entry.
    Sept. 10, 2025
    Photos by Tom W. Shand
    The Prince George’s County, MD, Fire/EMS Department (PGFD) operates several two-door cab, walk-in rescues in its fleet. Rescue Squad 820 is a 2024 Pierce Enforcer that’s built on a 25-foot aluminum body that has a 223½-inch wheelbase.
    Tom Shand and Michael Wilbur save apparatus committees by spelling out what must be considered in the design of heavy rescue rigs in terms of storage solutions and compartment...
    Sept. 9, 2025
    fire department operations assisted-living facility fire Fall River Massachusetts
    Fire departments that haven't dedicated the appropriate forethought to potential fires at nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities will do well to heed Peter Matthews' advice...
    Sept. 8, 2025